Minerva McGonagall's Battle of Hogwarts
by Srylanna
Summary: "Hogwarts is threatened!" she shouted from the top of her lungs. "Man the boundaries, protect us, do your duty to our school."


**Written many years ago, just as the Deathly Hallows were published, this story is dedicated to Minerva McGonagall, my favourite Hogwarts' teacher. The story depicts the events of The Battle of Hogwarts as seen and felt by Professor McGonagall using her as a POV character sometimes expressing her thoughts as she loses coherency. Dialogue was mostly taken from the original since I wanted it to be as on canon as possible and I take no credit for it or for any recognizable characters, places or settings. It all goes to lovely Miss J.K. Rowling. I hope you'll enjoy it.**

Minerva McGonagall's Battle of Hogwarts

Minerva McGonagall, to many simply known as Professor McGonagall, had always wanted to be a teacher; she took a great pride in her job and in her abilities in the field of Transfiguration. She had become an Animagus knowing she would become a cat, so proud of the fact that she knew herself so well and that she had a positive proof of her gift with magic. She had often used that ability to impress young students knowing that not only would she receive respect from them but also that it might inspire them to work hard knowing what they might accomplish one day. That was what kept Minerva working all these years in Hogwarts, the will to pass on her knowledge and wisdom to the generation after generation, the wish to make a positive impact on those young minds, to help them nurture their nature given gift of magic, to help them reach their full potential, to help them become all they can be, to help them grow up and become the good people she knew all of them could be. She failed sometimes, but still she knew she had always given her best and that she never gave up even when everyone around her told her it was futile to believe in the person at hand, that it was impossible for the person to turn out to be one of the good guys.

But all that had changed less than a year earlier. Nowadays, Minerva McGonagall no longer worked at Hogwarts simply out of those principles and beliefs she had kept to all these years; no, Minerva McGonagall stayed to simply protect. That didn't mean she had completely abandoned her principles of good, but simply that her priorities had to change and she was positively devastated seeing her beloved castle and students suffering at the hand of those she had spent her life trying to defeat.

However, on that dark, dark night of 2nd of May 1998, something had kept Minerva up wandering the corridors of her beloved castle like she had done many times during her teaching years. But, surprisingly, it wasn't the state of the castle that invaded her thoughts and kept her from sleep, it wasn't her late husband who was so persistent and patient with her, it wasn't the young muggle whose hart she had broken when she was so young and foolish, it weren't the children of her own she never had, it were the students she used to know, more particular four students she had always had a soft spot for. Peter Pettigrew, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black and James Potter, the infamous Marauders as she had Christianized them on the occasion of an extraordinary and completely out-of-character-for-her-classroom chaos they had called forth of on that particular day. Minerva always had to suppress a smile whenever she had to discipline the boys and whenever she remembered them as they had been in school, so full of life and with such a potential. But tonight, she was pondering the men they became, the men the life had made all of them.

Peter, the traitor, and yet, even when she knew what he had done, even with the fact that he was the one responsible for the death of dear James and sweet Lily, even knowing how miserable the life of a wonderful boy he had made, Minerva couldn't bring herself forth to hate him as she thought she should. Peter was one of her children, one of the many boys who had gone astray once they lost the guidance and protection of those who had kept him safe before he had to take care of himself. Yes, Peter was a traitor, that much was undisputable, but Minerva always knew Peter was week and needed more protection from the influence of the stronger and darker crowed the world was filled with than his friends did. She knew how easy to influence he was and she had hoped that the company of the other three would make a stronger impact on Peter than she ever could, but she was wrong on that account. The only thing left for her to hope was that Peter would receive the punishment he deserved someday and that she wouldn't have to do that herself for it would probably break her heart, to punish the boy she felt she had disappointed.

Remus, sweet, dear Remus, the calmest of the four, the prefect she had wanted to reign in his friends and who had failed miserably at that particular task. Remus was the one she trusted the least when he came to the Hogwarts and it seemed only natural to do so since Remus was a werewolf and Minerva was always a bit scared of the werewolves who had no control over their transformations. But Remus had proven himself as a wonderful person, a true and loyal friend, a true member of the house of courageous Gryffindor he was so proud to be a part of. Remus, besides Peter the last living Marauder and a wonderful husband to Nymphadora Tonks and most certainly a wonderful father of baby Teddy in the future, had always had a complex of lesser worth because of his werewolf state. But his friends, his best friends, the Marauders had never seen his as anything less worthy, he was their Moony and for them they took upon themselves a difficult and dangerous task of becoming Animaguses. Yes, Minerva was aware of the challenge the boys had taken upon themselves to help their friend in need and even though they broke about every school rule to do so, Minerva couldn't be more proud of her boys.

Sirius, the loyal dog and the only one who ever dared to call her Minnie in her face, the one she felt she had wronged the most not believing in him when she knew how much James and his friends had meant to him. Sirius Black came to her House with a booming scandal following him on the account of him being the first Black ever to be sorted in Gryffindor, the first Black being sorted anywhere but in Slytherin. She should have known Sirius would never turn to the Dark Side, she should have realized that the hate he felt for his family who so openly admired He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was so genuine and deeply rooted he would never follow their footsteps, she should have know, but she didn't. The circumstantial evidence and the grief over the death of dear Potters and poor Peter had left her little room for a deep intellectual analysis of what had happened. And now, two years after she had found out how much she had wronged him, Sirius was already dead for a year and she had never had the chance to apologize to him for ever doubting his loyalty to his friends and comrades.

And James, the wonderful, courageous and dear James, the one she had never had to doubt, the one she only had to look at to know how good of a person he would become, the one she could hardly find a fault in. A grown James was everything a person could aspire to be, a great wizard, a courageous fighter, a loyal friend, a loving husband, a wonderful father, and above all a good person. Even a younger James was a good person, a bit mischievous and arrogant, with a talent for making Lily Evans lose her temper and a talent to make people follow him. She had been so grief-stricken over his violent death and over the young boy who would never know the great person his father was. She had vowed that day, that fateful Halloween of 1981, right there in Surrey; Minerva McGonagall had vowed to the memory of James and Lily to do everything in her power to keep their boy safe and alive no matter what it took, no matter the sacrifices she would have to take to do so. And she never regretted the vow she had made for Harry Potter had proven beyond a doubt he was the child of his parents and a wonderful person worthy of her and everyone else's protection, a true symbol of good and everything Minerva fought for.

And that is where Minerva had to stop her train of thoughts for otherwise she would be crying again over the fact that she knew not where the boy was, over the fact that she couldn't help him, over the fact that she was breaking her most sacred vow.

She was trying to recollect herself when she heard a noise coming from the entrance of the Ravenclaw Common Room, a voice in fact belonging to no other than that awful Death Eater, a ridiculous excuse for a teacher, Amycus Carrow.

"May I ask what you are doing, professor Carrow?" she had asked him not showing how repulsed she was with his presence and behaviour.

"Trying – to get – through this damned – door!" he shouted now at the door probably thinking the door might open if he shouted loud enough and for the intelligence he had exhibited previously, Minerva wasn't certain if her mental remark was completely off mark. "Go and get Flitwick! Get him to open it, now!" he tried to order her, but little did he know, no one ordered Minerva McGonagall.

She was about to make a remark humbling the impertinent fool in front of herself, but she had to stop herself from being to harsh for she had to think of her students and the fact that they needed her there and not withering in a cell of Azkaban.

"But isn't your sister in there?" asked Minerva innocently enough as to now awake any suspicion in the poor excuse for a man in front of her. "Didn't Flitwick let her in earlier this evening at your urgent request? Perhaps she could open the door for you? Then you needn't wake up half the castle," she finished hoping she had gotten across how little she though of him and his sister, Alecto.

"She ain't answering, you old besom!" he insulted her without even a hint of imagination of witticism. "_You_ open it! Garn! Do it, now!"

And this time Minerva was truly worried for the students of the Ravenclaw House so she bowed to his request.

"Certainly, if you wish it," she answered his awfully polite and with as much coldness in her voice as she could muster up.

She genteelly tapped the door with the knocker and the musical voice voiced his question of wisdom.

"Where do Vanished objects go?" asked the voice and Minerva inwardly chuckled at he simplicity of the question asked.

"Into nonbeing, which is to say, everything," she replied a bit smugly proud that she had shown her superior intelligence to the worthless man in front of her.

"Nicely phrased," replied the voice politely and the door swung open.

Amycus Carrow burst over the threshold, brandishing his wand and looking around for his sister and watching carefully few Ravenclaws who had run upstairs afraid of his entrance. He was hunched as ever as he scanned the room in search of his equally disgusting sister. He let out a yell of mixed fury and fear as he spotter her lie motionlessly on the floor.

"What've they done, the little whelps?" he screamed at no one in particular. "I'll Cruciate the lot of 'em 'till they tell me who did it – and what's the Dark Lord going to say?" he shrieked as he stood bent over his sister smacking himself with his fist on his forehead. "We haven't got him, and they have gorn and killed her!" he continued screaming without paying actual attention to his still breathing sister.

"She's only Stunned," she told him impatiently worried for the children he was threatening and irritated with the incompetent fool who couldn't discern between being dead and simply unconscious. "She we'll be perfectly all right," she continued knowing the fool in front of her was unworthy of her reassurances.

"No she bludgering well won't!" the fool continued to scream. "Not after the Dark Lord gets hold of her! She's gorn and sent for him, I felt me Mark burn, and he thinks we've got Potter!"

Minerva's heart took a trip to her heels as she heard Carrow mention Harry.

"'Got Potter?'" she said sharply hoping with all her heart the fool was wrong and Harry was somewhere safe and well. "What do you mean, 'got Potter?'"

"He told us Potter might try and get inside Ravenclaw Tower, and to send for him if we caught him!" he frantically shouted telling Minerva plans he probably shouldn't have.

"Why would Harry Potter try and get inside Ravenclaw Tower? Potter belongs in my house!" the anger and disbelief she had felt while saying that mixed with the pride and affection she was overrun with. Harry was alive and well, he wasn't caught and murdered without a word as it was rumoured and he might be neared than she had dared to hope.

"We was told he might come in here," Carrow said without thinking actually. "I dunno why, do I?" he asked her a rhetorical question sharply. Minerva simply had to look around the room wondering if the Death Eater was right and Harry was there and she just couldn't see him like had happened before when he was hiding beneath that Cloak of his. For a second she had thought she saw something and her eyes flickered back to that spot, but it seemed it was only a trick of light and her all too hopeful heart.

"We can push it off to kids," continued Carrow his face suddenly taking a crafty expression. "Yeah, that's what we'll do. We'll say Alecto was ambushed by the kids, them kids up there," he continued his rant and Minerva barely made her self listen to him reminding herself she had to protect the children, that Dumbledore and Harry would want her to, that it was her duty to do so. "And we'll say they forced her to press her Mark, and that's why he got a false alarm… He can punish them. Couple of kids more or less, what's the difference?"

And it was there that the always so composed professor lost her temper and her face turned pale with disgust of the pitiful impersonation of a human being, of the disgusting, piglike human impersonator.

"Only the difference between truth and lies, the courage and cowardice," said Minerva knowing she couldn't hold herself back no more since he threatened the children she had to protect, "a difference, in short, which you and your sister seem unable to appreciate. But let me make one thing very clear. You are not going to pass off your many ineptitudes on the students of Hogwarts. I shall not permit it," she said felling herself fill up with courage from the will to protect those who could not protect themselves.

"Excuse me?" said the Death Eater moving himself offensively close to her, but she refused to back away instead sending his a look of pure disgust, a look she usually saved for trips to the public loo. "It's not a case of what _you'll_ permit, Minerva McGonagall. Your time is over. It's us what's in charge here now, and you'll back me up or you'll pay the price."

Minerva almost laughed at his words, the fool though he could defeat and harm her, Minerva McGonagall who had done spells more complicated than he will even know while he was still in his dippers. And that was when he spat in her face.

Minerva's hand was halfway to her robes where her wand resided, her nine and a half inch long fir and dragon heartstring core wand, but she wasn't fast enough.

"You shouldn't have done that," she heard a voice shout as Harry Potter appeared out of nowhere. "Crucio!" he shouted with his wand directed straight at Death Eater's chest which sent the mentioned Death Eater screaming and trashing on the floor in agony the spell was designed to inflict before he rendered himself unconscious as he hit the bookcase. But Minerva barely registered it, Harry was there right in front of her, alive and well just as he should be, just as she had prayed he would be. "I see what Bellatrix meant," she heard Harry taunting the Death Eater; "you really need to mean it."

"Potter!" Minerva whispered unconsciously clutching her heart with her hand overrun with relief and happiness. "Potter – you're here? What - ? How - ?" She struggled with words barely even aware of how little sense she was making until she said the first thing that came to her mind. "Potter, that was foolish," she berated him like she did so many times and immediately wishing she didn't for she didn't want to berate him now, she wanted to hug him.

"He spat at you," he said using the exactly same voice tone he always used to justify himself when he got in trouble in his Hogwarts days, the same tone his father and godfather often used in her presence and once again she was at a loss for words. His gesture, the fact that he cared meant a lot to Minerva, more than she would ever admit.

"Potter, I – that was very – very gallant of you – but don't you realize - ?" She couldn't even finish that sentence how that panic got a hold of her knowing that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named knew for a fact where Harry was.

"Yeah, I do," assured her a very calm Harry. "Professor McGonagall, Voldemort's on the way."

"Oh, are we allowed to say the name now?" suddenly Luna Lovegood asked as if noting in the world was more interesting or important appearing in front of an overwhelmed Minerva, who staggered backwards falling into a nearby chair clutching at the neck of her old tartan dressing gown. Miss Lovegood, whose sudden disappearance and well-being had kept McGonagall up many a night, was there, with Harry alive and well.

"I don't think it makes any difference what we call him. He already knows where I am," he said simply to Luna and Minerva felt her heart hitting her heels again realizing now just in how much danger Harry Potter was in Hogwarts.

"You must flee," she whispered truly afraid for him and his wellbeing. "Now, Potter, as quickly as you can!" she regained her mental facilities as the threat of the Dark Lord's approach sank in.

"I can't," Harry said matter-of-factly. "There's something I need to do. Professor, do you know where the diadem of Ravenclaw is?"

"The diadem of Ravenclaw?" she wondered if the boy was really realizing in how much of a danger he was and how useless the search for a diadem long gone was. "Of course not – hasn't it been lost for centuries?" The boy was obviously very confused and McGonagall had to take matter into her own hands so she tried to compose herself and sat a little straighter. "Potter, it was madness, utter madness, for you to enter this castle -"

"I had to," he interrupter her. "Professor, there's something hidden here that I'm supposed to find, and it _could _be the diadem – if I could just speak to Professor Flitwick -" and the sound of Amycus Carrow interrupted whatever Potter had to say.

Before Harry and Luna had another chance to react, Minerva rose to her feet pointing her want at once again conscious Death Eater and flung the first Unforgivable in her entire existence. "_Imperio!"_

She sent the Death Eater to pick up his sister's wand and hand it over to Minerva together with his own without a word before she sent his to lay down on the floor next to his sister and binding them together tightly with a silver rope she had conjured before she ended the Unforgivable and rendered Amycus unconscious once again.

"Potter," she turned towards the boy again summoning an air of perfect indifference to Carrows and the preceding events, "if He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named does indeed know that you are here –" She didn't finish that sentence as she noticed Harry getting lost, like he wasn't there and his hand flew to his scar. "Potter, are you alright?" she interjected hoping that the boy would come to his senses as he clutched Luna's shoulder.

"Time is running out, Voldemort is getting nearer," he said hastily and Minerva wondered how he could possibly know that. "Professor, I'm acting on Dumbledore's orders, I must find what he wanted me to find! But we've got to get the students out while I'm searching the castle – it's me who Voldemort wants, but he won't care about killing a few more or less, not now…" he abruptly stopped himself in the middle of the sentence and Minerva understood he could not tell her more than he already had, Dumbledore probably told him not to tell anything to anybody.

"You are acting on _Dumbledore's_ orders?" she repeated finally being able to make some sense out of the situation at hand before drawing herself to her full height. "We shall secure the school against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named while you search for this – this object."

"Is that possible?" the boy asked with a dumbfounded expression.

"I think so," she answered dryly with the barest hint of humour, "we teachers are rather good at magic, you know. I am sure we will be able to hold him off for a while if we put our best efforts into it. Of course, something will have to be done about Professor Snape…"

"Let me…" he tried to interrupt her, but Minerva was not in the mood.

"… and if Hogwarts is about to enter a state of siege, with the Dark Lord at the gates, it would indeed be advisable to take as many innocent people out of the way as possible. With the Floo Network under observation, and Apparition impossible within the grounds…"

"There is a way," Harry interjected quickly explaining all about the passageway leading from the Castle through the Room of Requirement to Hog's Head.

"Potter, we are talking about hundreds of students…" once again that night she didn't finish her sentence.

"I know, Professor, but if Voldemort and Death Eaters are concentrating on the school boundaries they won't be interested in anyone who's Dissaparating out of the Hog's Head," he reasoned and she had to agree he had a point.

"There is something in that," she voiced her approval as she pointed her wand at Carrows conjuring silver net which fell on them, tied itself around them, and hoisted them in air making them look like an overgrown cocoon. She admired her handiwork before she turned towards Harry a plan already forming in her head. "Come. We must alert the other Heads of House. You'd better put that Cloak back on."

She marched towards the door sending three silver Patronus cats with spectacle marking around their eyes that ran sleekly ahead, filling the spiral staircase with silvery light as she descended it hoping that the invisible Harry and Luna were indeed following her.

She hurried through the corridors she knew so well and Patronuses were slowly leaving them to deliver the messages they were designed to and after descending two more floors, she heard another silent footsteps joining theirs. Before Harry or Luna could react hastily, she pulled out her wand raising it in a position for a duel asking the shadows behind her. "Who's there?"

"It is I," said a low voice she had identified as that one of Severus Snape before the man in question even stepped from his hiding place behind a suit of armour. Unlike her, he was not wearing his night clothes, but his usual black cloak and he also had his want drawn and ready for a duel. "Where are the Carrows?" he asked quietly in a voice that betrayed no emotion, but Minerva knew it was a threat as much as a question.

"Where you told them to be, I expect, Severus," she said his name like she would say a particularly nasty profanity.

He came closer to her, his eyes flickering at the seemingly empty space behind her like he knew Harry was there.

"I was under the impression," he said in the same tone as earlier, "that Alecto had apprehended an intruder."

Minerva mentally snickered not allowing the gloating she felt to show itself on her face.

"Really?" she said completely indifferently. "And what gave you that impression?" She noticed him making a slight motion with his left arm, where she knew a disgusting Dark Mark was branded into his skin. "Oh, but naturally, you Death Eaters have your own private means of communication, I forgot."

He didn't react to her poorly disguised insult, but instead moved closer to her still looking, not at her, but at the air around her.

"I did not know it was you night to patrol the corridors, Minerva," he pried still probing the air around her.

"You have some objection?"

"I wonder what could have brought you out of bed at this late hour."

"I thought I heard a disturbance," she answered calmly.

"Really? But all seems calm," he told her nonchalantly as he looked her straight in the eyes, but Minerva was ready for him. She knew Snape was an adept Legilimens and he would try to use that in his advantage, but little did he know about her own proficiency at Occlumency. "Have you seen Harry Potter, Minerva?" he asked slightly panicked probably due to the fact that he could not invade her mind. "Because if you have, I must insist -"

And that was the moment Minerva McGonagall lost her temper for the second time that night and moved faster than anybody could deem her able to slashing the air with her wand sending strongest _Stupefy_ she could in his direction. But the man in front of her was as fast as ever, and his Shield Charm repelled her spell throwing her out of balance only for a moment before she sent fire from the torch to surround Snape as a lasso. However, he managed to transfigure the fiery lasso into a great black serpent which she hastily transfigured into a cloud of smoke which soon turned into daggers directed at Snape forcing Snape to hide behind a suit of armour as the daggers hit the chest piece of armour with loud clangs of metal against metal.

"Minerva!" she heard a squeaky voice behind her she identified as the voice of her dear friend and college Filius and alongside him she heard another two footsteps she was certain belonged to Pomona and Horace.

"No!" shouted Filius raising his wand at Snape. "You'll do no more murder at Hogwarts!"

Filiuses spell hit the suit of armour Snape was hiding behind bringing it back to life and crushing Snape with its metal hands. But Snape managed to struggle free and sent the arbour flying back toward his attackers who all had to dive sideways to avoid. Minerva ran behind him, backed by Filius and Pomona trying to apprehend him before he could get away, but he did something none of them expected as he jumped through the window flying away. "Coward! COWARD!" she cried in frustration caused by his escape.

"What's happened, what's happened?" asked a distressed Luna.

"He jumped," she spat as Luna and Harry run inside the classroom causing Filius and Pomona to yelp in shock due to his appearance.

"You mean he is _dead_?" Harry sprinted beside her to look through the window for himself.

"No, he is not dead," she spat bitterly. "Unlike Dumbledore, he was still carrying a wand and he seems to have learned a few tricks from his master," she clarified with her voice full of venom as she watched a huge, batlike shape flying through the darkness towards the wall.

"Harry!" she heard a puffing Horace behind her and she saw him massaging his immense chest beneath his emerald-green night clothes. "My dear boy… what a surprise… Minerva, do please explain… Severus… what…?"

"Our headmaster is taking a short break," she said slightly amused.

"Professor!" Harry shouted covering his forehead with his hands, his face contorting in pain. "Professor, we have to barricade the school, he's coming now!"

"Very well. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is coming," she told them matter-of-factly and watched Pomona and Filius gasp at the news and Horace letting out a low groan before proceeding with her news. "Potter has work to do in the castle on Dumbledore's order. We need to put in place every protection of which we are capable while Potter does what he needs to do."

"You realize, of course, that nothing we do will be able to keep out You-Know-Who indefinitely?" squeaked Filius.

"But we can hold him up," proudly stated Pomona.

"Thank you, Pomona," Minerva acknowledged the support and a look of grim understanding was exchanged between them. "I suggest we establish basic protection around the place, then gather our students and meet in Great Hall. Most must be evacuated, though if any of those who are over age wish to stay and fight, I think they ought to be given the chance."

"Agreed," half shouted Pomona as she hurried towards the door. "I shall meet you in the Great Hall in twenty minutes with my House."

As Pomona jogged out of the classroom, Minerva heard he utter names of the plants she could use offensively against the oncoming attackers.

Filius, on the other hand, hurried towards the nearest window casting spells frantically making a pause only to shout at them that he could do his work from there. She noticed Harry drawing closer to Filius and as she didn't want to eavesdrop she shouted at Filius to bring Ravenclaws in the Great Hall in twenty minutes as she ran from the classroom, hurrying to get all the Gryffindors from the Tower. She had barely reached the door when Horace started his own rant.

"My word. What to do! I'm not at all sure whether this is wise, Minerva. He is bound to find a way in, you know, and anyone who has tried to delay him will be in the most grievous peril…"

"I shall expect you and the Slytherins in the Great Hall in twenty minutes, also," she interrupted his rant before he could continue and make her lose her temper all over again. "If you wish to leave with your students, we shall not stop you. But if any of you attempt to sabotage our resistance or take up arms against us within castle, then, Horace, we duel to kill," threatening him in a cold voice hoping Horace understood just how serious she was.

"Minerva!" he uttered afraid and she knew he had understood the message perfectly clear, but she had no intention to listen to his speeches.

"The time has come for Slytherin House to decide upon its loyalties," she interrupted him unusually discourteously. "Go and wake your students, Horace," she finished indignantly before she ran into the middle of the corridor prepared to cast her own protective spells.

"_Piertotum_ – oh, for heaven's sake, Filch, not _now_ -" she shouted now completely irritated at the aged and confused caretaker.

"Students out of bed! Students in corridors!" he ranted paying no attention to her shouts and raised wand.

"They're supposed to be, you blithering idiot!" she lost her temper again. "How go and do something constructive! Find Peeves!" she commanded him in an attack of brilliance knowing just how much damage the poltergeist could do.

"P-Peeves?" Filch stammered as though he never heard the name before.

"Yes, _Peeves_, you fool, _Peeves_! Haven't you been complaining about him for a quarter of a century? Go and fetch him, at once!" she dismissed the irritating caretaker so he hobbled away. Finally rid of all the disturbances she was able to dedicate her attention to spells she had planed to cast. "And now – _Piertotum Locomotor_!" she cried and her spell made the desired effect as the statues and suits of armour from all around the castle jumped from their plinths. "Hogwarts is threatened!" she shouted from the top of her lungs. "Man the boundaries, protect us, do your duty to our school," and with that all the summoned statues and suits of armour started running towards the nearest exits. "Now, Potter, you and Miss Lovegood has better return to your friends and bring them to the Great Hall – I shall rouse the other Gryffindors."

She parted with them at the top of the next staircase running faster than she had in years towards the portrait of the Fat Lady and the entrance to Gryffindor Tower. Luckily for her, the Fad Lady didn't abandon her post in search of latest gossip that night so Minerva entered the Common Room as soon as she reached the portrait.

"_Sonorus!_" she whispered with her wand pointed at her throat and then shouted with her magically enhanced voice. "ALL OF THE GRYFFINDOR STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO ADJOURN IN THE GREAT HALL WITHOUT AN EXCEPTION FOR AN EVACUATION AND THIS IS NOT AN EMERGENCY DRILL! ALL STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO ADJOURN IN THE GREAT HALL. _QUIETUS_!" she ended the spell as she heard the students running down the various staircases and running out of the Common Room and into the castle corridors. They weren't panicking, they were mostly clam even though she had woken them up in the middle of the night and she was glad they were behaving like the adults she had always known they are. She enchanted the entrance to count all the students and when the last one left the Tower, Minerva followed them running as fast as she could.

She entered the Great Hall together with a mass of students, but they were still coming and she decided she would rather repeat her words one hundred times than wait for all of them to come so she ascended on the raised platform at the top of the Hall and once again started speaking after magically enhancing her voice.

"Students and teachers of Hogwarts, the school is at a great danger since we are expecting an attack from He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named and we have no choice but to evacuate all the students. Since Floo is being monitored and Apparition on the grounds is impossible and all of our exits are being monitored, we have no choice but to use the only passageway left which is located on the seventh floor in the left corridor across the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. Prefects have been given maps with the exact location of the room and the evacuation will be overseen by Mr. Filch and Madam Pomfrey. Prefects, when I give the word, you will organize your House and take your charges, in an orderly fashion to the evacuation point."

When she finished giving them the basic instructions, the students seemed absolutely petrified. However, she caught a glimpse of defiance in the eyes of some giving her hope and will to carry on with her role and assuring her she was doing the right thing.

"And what if we want to stay and fight?" shouted Ernie Macmillan as he stood up at the Hufflepuff table.

"If you are of age, you many," she said feeling the tears of pride tingling her eyes before pushing them aside for it wasn't a time for crying, but for bravery, protecting and fighting for the right cause. As to what everyone was protecting might be different, Minerva clearly knew that she was fighting mostly to keep Harry Potter safe and she was not sorry for the lack of so called high goal. She was a simple woman and honouring her vow came first and the affection and pride she felt for the boy also took the credit for the sequence of her duties.

"What about our things?" asked a girl from Ravenclaw immediately irritating Minerva in the process. "Our trunks, our owls?"

"We have no time to collect possessions," Minerva told her with a bit of condescension present in her voice. "The important thing is to get you out of here safely."

"Where's Professor Snape?" shouted a girl from Slytherin immediately irritating Minerva further.

"He had, to use the common phrase, done a bunk," she replied smugly and was rewarded with a great cheer erupting from Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. "We have already placed protection around the castle," she continued encouraged by the cheer, "but it is unlikely to hold for very long unless we reinforce it. I must ask you, therefore to move quickly and calmly, and do as you prefects instruct you to."

But she hardly believed anyone heard her last words as a different, a high, cold and clear voice echoed through the Hall without a source to connect it to. "I know you are preparing to fight." Minerva heard the students screaming as they realized to whom the dreadful voice belonged. "Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood. Give me Harry Potter," said the bodiless voice, "and none shall be harmed, Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter, and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight."

The silence overtook the Great Hall and everyone in the Hall turned towards Harry just waiting for someone to react. Then a girl Minerva recognized as Miss Parkinson raised an arm in Harry's direction and screamed, "But he's there! Potter's _there_! Someone grab him!"

Before Minerva could utter a word or make a movement herself, a massive movement occurred as Gryffindors had risen in front of Harry facing the Slytherins and were soon followed by Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws with their wands emerging from their cloaks, pockets and sleeves. Minerva felt only pride as she watched her dear students she had protected for so long, protection one of their own against those willing to harm him, protecting the one she had sworn to protect.

"Thank you, Miss Parkinson," she said in a clipped voice deeply disappointed with the girl which she hoped would come to her senses before it was too late. "You will leave the Hall first with Mr. Filch. If the rest of your House could follow," and all the Slytherins, without an exception, left the Hall with supervised by Mr. Filch.

"Ravenclaws, follow on!" she directed them and felt pride again as a number of older Ravenclaws remained in their seats. "Hufflepuffs, your turn!" she shouted again taking pride in each and every student that decided to stay. And then it was time to send the Gryffindors away, the ones dearest to her, "Gryffindors, time has come!" Honestly, Minerva should have been expecting it since about half her House had stayed in their respective seats refusing to evacuate themselves even if they weren't of age. She knew the younger ones could not stay but she still felt enormous pride in her House which had wanted to fight for the right thing so badly. But she had to protect the young ones so she descended from the teachers' platform to make the underage students leave and it was not without a fight. "Absolutely not, Creevey, go! _And _you, Peakes!" She started going from student to student forcing the younger ones to leave until Kingsley has stepped up on the platform.

"We've only got about half an hour until midnight, so we need to act fast! A battle plan had seen agreed between the teachers of Hogwarts and the Order of the Phoenix. Professors Flitwick, Sprout, and McGonagall are going to take groups of fighters up to the three highest towers – Ravenclaw, Astronomy, and Gryffindor – where they'll have a good overview, excellent positions from which to work spells. Meanwhile Remus," he pointed his hand at Lupin, "Arthur," he pointed at him sitting at the Gryffindor table, "and I will take groups into the grounds. We'll need somebody to organize defence of the entrance of the passageways into the school…"

"Sounds like a job for us," yelled out of the Weasley twins and Minerva knew it was indeed the job for them, the pranksters and explorers of the present, the ones who were the worthy successors of James and Sirius.

"Al right, leaders up here and we'll divide up the troops!" called Kingsley and Minerva was about to join him on the platform when she noticed Harry joining the remaining fighters clearly forgetting the entire purpose of the battle they were about to enter.

She immediately hurried towards him fighting to get nearer with students who were flooding the platform waiting to be assigned to their respective battle positions and she yelled hoping he would hear her, "Potter, aren't you supposed to be looking for something."

"What?" the boy yelled. "Oh, oh yeah!"

"Then go, Potter, go!" she yelled stifling the absurd need to smile at the boy.

"Right – yeah - " he mumbled and ran off before Minerva had a chance to tell him to keep himself safe even though she knew how absurd that sentence would be in the present circumstances.

She, however, didn't have much time to think as Kingsley assigned her hers fighters and she led them to the Gryffindor tower sensing that the statues and the suits of armour she had sent to men the boundaries have entered a death match with the oncoming enemy of their, and hers, home. She hurried summoning all her strength and concentration since for Minerva it was the battle of life and death and she knew that no matter what Lord Voldemort would ask for in exchange for leaving her alive, she would never be able to accept if it meant the death of Harry Potter or if Harry was no longer among the living. She decided that it was time to forgo any sense of self and that it was their last chance to defeat Lord Voldemort once and for all and sure as hell, Minerva McGonagall was about to give her best for her principles, for her home, for all the children she had to protect and for Harry Potter.

She arrived at the entrance of the Gryffindor Tower dismissing Fat Lady from her duty since it was pointless and obstructive to the defenders and she bravely led her small band of courageous fighters, mostly made out of seventh years and a few Order members, to the top.

What she saw almost crushed her. Death Eaters were already passing through the holes made in her preliminary defences, she noticed Acromantulae at the edged of the forbidden forest, and she noticed the giants brought to the Lord Voldemort's bidding. She realized once again against which kind of power they were fighting in this battle of life and death and she knew they must win, there was no alternative.

She sent the students on the different sides of the tower instructing them to shoot whatever spells they know and told them, if they wish to take on giants, they should use conjunctivitis spells since their skins were thick and to be very careful not to his friendly forces but only foes.

She herself started chanting a spell, one of the most powerful ones she knew to transfigure a very large area of pure ground into boiling hot water to at least partially stop the Acromantulae from invading the castle and aiding Death Eaters in their fight. Her eyes kept on darting toward the ground where Kingsley, Remus and Arthur were leaving the bravest fighters into the heart of the battle confronting the enemy chest to chest. When she managed to cast her spell, Minerva joined her fighters in casting as many hexes, jinxes, spells and curses she could remember not bothering which enemy they would hit or what consequence on the enemy they would have. Her spells were stronger than ever, her speed was unmatched by the defenders and attackers and her accuracy was perfect with every spell hitting its target from a very large distance. She noticed that Voldemort's most prized Death Eaters were nowhere in sight and she knew he must have been saving them for the final showdown.

She almost lost the grounds beneath her feet as a particularly strong Blasting Spell blasted of a very large portion of the wall somewhere in the castle rendering the entire construction of the Gryffindor Tower too unstable and dangerous for them to continue holding their positions.

"All wands to me! All wands to me!" she shouted calling all her fighters to descend from the tower and continue the battle from another position, one less unstable and dangerous. She divided her fighters into three groups sending them to Astronomy and Ravenclaw Tower and into the courtyard to backup the forces struggling there. She, on the other hand, had a more pressing matter to deal with. She had to find Harry Potter and his friends as find out if they had managed to find whatever object they were looking for. She ran not even thinking where she was going when a blast smashed the wall next to her making a part of the debris leave a deep gash on her cheek, but allowing her to see al the desks and chairs from her classroom. She animated them and led them in the battle thinking that it must have been a clique for a teacher to lead an army made out of chairs and tables that generations and generations of her students had used. She sprinted towards like a shepherd of tables and chairs sending them to attack the enemy she so desperately wanted to defeat that she barely noticed Harry and his friends covering themselves in his Invisibility Cloak. She ran down the next staircases leading her army to help the defenders in the castle since Death Eaters had managed to invade the castle itself and she saw Peeves zooming around throwing Pomona's plants on the heads of the enemies. She noticed Dean and Parvati duelling Dolohov and Travers but she had no time to help them as four more Death Eaters appeared at the end of the corridor. She commanded her animated army while duelling all four Death Eaters at once making them crumble beneath her feet before hurrying to find herself another opponent to defeat. Minerva McGonagall didn't even know where her energy came from, but she was so full of it her magic was unrivalled by the enemy and she defeated groups and groups of Death Eaters all by herself without even noticing how many of them had crumbled below her feet. She watched death and destruction raging her home, destroying everything in its wake and she knew she must fight even harder. Her heart broke so many times that night Minerva was wondering how it was able to keep on beating in her chest, her eyes teared every time she saw one of her precious children laying on the floor wounded, unconscious or, worst off all, dead. The worst blow was when she caught the sight of the tiny body of Colin Creevey laying on the floor, dead, dead and gone, his eyes open and the stars reflected in them. It was the first time that night Minerva lost herself, she felt like she couldn't take anymore pain, anymore loss, anymore death around her and she felt their battle futile for, no matter how many enemies she defeated, more just kept on coming, and coming like an endless stream of black robes and masks. It seemed like the enemy was immortal for their masks made them all the same and she wondered more than once she was duelling the same opponents over and over again even though she knew she had incapacitated them from further fighting. And just as her hopes had reached the bare bottom, she heard it, heard that three times damned cold, high, merciless voice and she heard it oh so close.

"You have fought," the voice said, "valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery." She couldn't help but sneer at the words since without understanding their feelings; the emotions that had driven them to this desperate battle, Voldemort could never understand how brave her comrades really were. "Yet you have sustained heavy losses." She could no longer hold back her tears; she could no longer fight them as she heard that emotionless voice mentioning the losses it would never understand. "If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and waste." Minerva cried from frustration as this voice kept on pretending it valued any form of life, magical or otherwise, for it knew noting of the lives it had destroyed, of the lives it had taken and her thoughts drifted again to James and Lily fuelling her tears furthermore. "Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat immediately. You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity." _Dispose; dispose as if they were a piece of useless trash to be simply thrown away, to be disposed of. _"Treat your injured. I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall punish every last man, woman, and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour."

Minerva felt herself stumble as her legs no longer supported her and she barely kept herself walking as she hurried towards the Great Hall where she knew everybody would reconvene at for it was the heart of Hogwarts and they all belonged there regardless of the Houses they are or used to be members of. She entered the Hall, the heart of her home, among the last ones and she saw that the tables were no longer there. Poppy was treating injured at the platform assisted by a few students who knew basic healing spells and skills. She noticed the survivors holding each other, running into each others arms as they entered the Hall and crying for the ones they had lost. She walked down the Hall looking at the ones they lost and feeling the loss of every last on of them as if she lost a limb or a piece of her heart. She saw Lavender Brown, sweet, foolish girl completely mangled there on the floor as Parvati and Sybill mourn her loss, their tears dripping on the poor, dead girls face. _Dead! Dead! Dead!_ She saw three boys next to her, their faces destroyed beyond recognition for her, but some of their remaining friends were crying next to them. She saw Wood bringing in the body of the little, once oh so enthusiastic Colin Creevey and once again she lost the battle against the tears that were pooling in her eyes. _Dead! Dead! Dead!_ She made herself look away from that poor boy who was never supposed to be there, who was too young to be participating in that death match. But her eyes had fallen instead on the body of Fred Weasley surrounded by his devastated family and his face that kept the remainder of its last smile. She wanted to cry out, but she dared not add her despair to the despair of others. _Dead! Dead! Dead!_ And then, next to Fred, she saw a sight that utterly broke her heart rendering her unable to move, making her seek the support of the walls for she would have crumbled on the floor without it. Nymphadora, Nymphadora and Remus were laying there next to each other, dead both of them. _Dead! Dead! Dead!_ Remus the last Marauder, Remus who had finally gotten some normality and well deserved happiness in his life, Remus who had just gotten a son, Remus who should have lived on, Remus who should have lived a full life in place of his so dearly missed friends, lie there on the floor dead. _Dead! Dead! Dead!_ The word itself seemed to haunt Minerva as she was slouched against the wall barely keeping herself aware of her surroundings. But all was not lost, she knew, all was not lost as long as she had Harry to protect, as long as she kept that vow, as long as he was alive.

Minerva didn't notice the time pass by her, she heard Kingsley and other remaining fighters develop strategies for further battle, strategies to win against Voldemort, strategies that did not involve the death of Harry Potter, that did not involve giving up. She forced herself listen to them thus keeping a link with reality but she was still unaware of the time that passed by and of how little they had before the deadline set by Voldemort.

And then she heard it again, heard that cold voice that would haunt her for the remainder of her life no matter how long, or short, it was to be, "Harry Potter is dead." _No, no, no, no, no! I can not be the truth he is lying, he must be lying. _"He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you lay down your lives for him. We bring you his body as proof that your hero is gone." _ No, no, no! He is lying, it can not be the truth. He is most certainly lying. It must be a trap, a trap._ "The battle is won. You have lost half your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you, and the boy Who Lived is finished. There must be no more war. Anyone who continues to resist, man, woman, or child, will be slaughtered, as will every member of their family. Come out of the castle now, kneel before me, and you shall be spared." _No! Liar! Liar! Liar! I will not bow! I will not kneel!_ "Your parents and children, you brothers and sisters will live and be forgiven, and you will join me in the new world we shall build together." _ No! No! No! You are lying! You are deceiving us!_

And Minerva ran, sprinted faster than ever to see, to prove he was lying, to call him a liar in his face when he has no body to prove his claims.

And then she reached the front doors of the castle and she saw it with her own eyes and she could no longer deny it, Harry had scarified himself, himself for all of them.

"NO!" she screamed as she had never screamed before seeing the poor boy look so small and fragile in Hagrid's arms, so small, so fragile and so dead. _Dead! Dead! Dead!_ _Dead! Dead! Dead!_ _Dead! Dead! Dead!_ _Dead! Dead! Dead!_ _Dead! Dead! Dead!_ _Dead! Dead! Dead!_ _Dead! Dead! Dead!_

That simple, four-letter word mocked her as she sunk into a pit of despair and as she heard someone laugh at her pain and the word was even lauder in her mind. _Dead! Dead! Dead!_ _Dead! Dead! Dead!_ _Dead! Dead! Dead!_ _Dead! Dead! Dead!_ _Dead! Dead! Dead!_ _Dead! Dead! Dead!_ _Dead! Dead! Dead!_ _Dead! Dead! Dead!_ _Dead! Dead! Dead!_ _Dead! Dead! Dead!_ _Dead! Dead! Dead!_ _Dead! Dead! Dead!_

The cries and screams of others were muffled by that word that invaded every corner of her mind and then the realization that she had failed everyone, that she had failed even James and Lily; that she had failed her vow struck her and she wanted nothing more than to find a hole and hide.

"SILENCE!" cried Voldemort but his words meant nothing to her, she didn't even felt the spell she saw he sent upon them. "It is over! Set him down, Hagrid, at my feet, where he belongs! You see?" he continued and Minerva had to listen for the cold voice penetrated even the barrier of death in her mind. "Harry Potter is dead! Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for him!"

"_No," _Minerva wanted to shout, "_He scarified himself for us._"

But Ron yelled and broke the charm before she could, "He beat you!" and thus sent the defenders of her home into shouting and screaming forcing Voldemort to use the spell once again.

"He was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle grounds, killed while trying to save himself." _Liar! Liar! Liar! Liar! Liar! Harry scarified himself for us!_

Before Voldemort could finish his speech, Neville ran from the crowd of defenders in a desperate attempt to do something that didn't involve standing there and listening to the lies Voldemort was saying. Minerva wanted to follow, but her body didn't listen to her, it felt so, so heavy. Voldemort laughed at Neville's puny attempt.

"And who is this? Who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight when the battle is lost?" Voldemort hissed and Bellatrix laughed.

"It is Neville Longbottom, my Lord! The boy who has been giving the Carrows so much trouble! The son of the Aurors, remember?"

"Ah, yes, I remember," said Voldemort taking a closer look at Neville who no longer had a wand and was standing in the no-man's-land. "But you are a pureblood, aren't you, my brave boy?"

"So what if I am?" defied Neville.

"You show spirit and bravery, and you come of noble stock. You will make a very valuable Death Eater. We need your Kind, Neville Longbottom."

"I'll join you when hell freezes over! Dumbledore's Army!" he shouted sending the crowd into a cheer and giving hope to Minerva's beaten heart.

"Very well," Voldemort said with his deadly, now silent voice that sent shivers down Minerva's back. "If that is your choice, Longbottom, we revert to the original plan. On your head, be it."

Voldemort summoned something from the castle and Minerva struggled to see what it was recognizing the Sorting Hat she has been bringing to the Sorting Ceremony from the past forty years.

"There will be no more Sorting at Hogwarts School. There will be no more Houses. The emblem, shield, and colours of my noble ancestor, Salazar Slytherin, will suffice for everyone. Won't they, Neville Longbottom?" Minerva watched in silent terror as Voldemort pointed his wand making him go rigid before continuing his speech. "Neville here in now going to demonstrate what happens to anyone foolish enough to continue to oppose me," and with a flick of wand he levitated the Hat on Neville's head and it erupted in flames sending Neville in heart-wrenching screams.

And then happened things Minerva didn't even knew she had hoped or until they happened. Hundreds of people came swarming over the walls and sprinted towards the castle, screaming, followed by a giant which attacked Voldemort's giants supported by centaurs and their bows and arrows. Neville struck down Voldemort's snake with the sword of Godric Gryffindor and Minerva found herself casting spells so intense she wasn't aware she could cast.

"HARRY! HARRY – WHERE'S HARRY?" she heard Hagrid shout but had no time to pay him attention, preoccupied with seeking revenge. She knew who her opponent was and Death Eater coming her way were dealt with quickly and harshly leaving them transfigured, stunned or simply rendered unconscious by different charms and spells. She saw thousands of wizards pouting from Merlin-knows-where overflowing the Death Eaters, thestrals and hippogriffs flying up in the air prying out the eyes of giants, house-elves with their knives and cleavers swarming the entrance hall. She saw it all and she saw none of it. She was in a haze as she stepped into the Great Hall and charged at Voldemort with Kingsley and Horace who proved himself quite dexterous despite his weight and old age. Minerva poured every skill she had into that duel, her heart itself, all the pain she felt, all the despair and every last bit of hope she nurtured. But it wasn't enough, the three of them and their grand skill was not enough. They needed Harry, he was the Chosen One, not her, not Horace, not Kingsley.

And then sheer power erupted from the screaming Voldemort and blasted her backwards, falling through the air. And then she saw him, Harry, alive and ready to fight. Everyone cheer and Minerva felt hope and happiness flood her heart, healing it little by little. She knew Harry would win, she knew it and she let the darkness overtake her for she could no longer fight it.

Minerva McGonagall never heard; never saw anything but the ending of the battle between Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort. She was present but unconscious due to the fact that her head had a close and violent encounter with the floor. As she came back to her senses, Minerva saw two spells intercept each other and then she saw the green jet of light rebound and turn on its caster killing him on the spot. And Minerva never regretted that moment of unconsciousness, Voldemort was dead and Harry alive and that was all that mattered.

As Poppy patched her up, Minerva walked to the edge of the platform and watched the Sun colour the Great Hall in red. She saw the dead defenders, fifty four of them she would take time to learn names and to mourn latter, but more importantly she saw the living, the living providing comfort and seeking it from each others. She saw wizards, house-elves, giant and centaurs together being the magical brothers they always were, but sometimes forgot about it. The sight she saw held so much beauty and harmony she wanted to preserve it forevermore. She watched it in silent contemplation for a few moments and then she head Peeves.

"_We did it, we bashed them, wee Potter's the one,_

_And Voldy's gone moldy, so now let's have fun!"_

And Minerva laughed knowing life will go on as it has, but the dead will never be forgotten. Her thoughts flew to James and Lily, Sirius and Remus, telling them in her heart she had completed her vow, telling them Harry will live on, telling them she will never forget them. Her thoughts switched to her dead husband, to the muggle she loved, to children she never had letting those regrets go to rest and finally, Minerva McGonagall felt at peace.

**Thank you for reading. Any critiques, grammar corrections and overall feelings about this fic are appreciated in the form of a review. Until my next drabble,**

**Srylanna**


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